Thinking about landscape architecture as a profession. The reason for me to start is that it seems to be a nice mix between thinking and drawing/visual oriented stuff.

Or should I go with a standard education (economy, finance etc) and paint/draw on the side. Anybody been in this situation??

I mean how many jobs in landscaping are truly neat and creative and how much is just dealing with clients and dealing with cityplanning all day long.
I mean I wan't it to sort of be like designing imaginative stuff for games/movies but in a light version....Is this unrealistic?
But maybe everything about it is interesting and creative when you get into it. Anybody??

Just do what you like! Don't do what others say you should do. If you dont do what you like you will most likely be unhappy! When you love drawing more than anything, do this, everything else would be just a waste of time in the long term.

I work as an architectural designer and I've never had any dealings with landscape architecture. I know there are a few around here, but really not many. I expect this is because any landscape company can just throw some bushes around, no real need for a designer.

Before jumping in to a weird field like that you should call all the landscape architecture companies in your area, ask to come in and see what they do and go with a list of questions to ask.

Check the jobs listing in your area for how many openings are there. None probably.

seriously, go what you want for. I wanted one thing 10 years ago and hesitated due earning money but I do it now, lol .. So it is another advice from one who didnt follow his inner desire._________________out

There is a huge difference between Landscaping and Landscape Architecture.
Landscape Architects never handle bushes. They just design stuff. Maybe they go out to the site and fine tune things as its being set up, but they dont dig holes. Landscapers do that.

So now I'm confused what you mean.
Talking with landscapers is a good idea too, but you really want to talk to the Landscape architects ... and porn models.

Tzan I ment landscape architects didn't know about landscapers.
In europe the demand is big. Is it different in the states? Thought California would be haven with all those pooles and palmtrees.

The work seems more fun than regular architecture.
And I read something interesting,quoting a professor:
"There lies a big artistic freedom in the outdoor enviroment which is more cut of by functional demands in the house architects work for example."

I'll try and go with my gut feeling Thomasis I just have to be sure that I know a little bit better what the h#ll this is.

The work seems more fun than regular architecture.
And I read something interesting,quoting a professor:
"There lies a big artistic freedom in the outdoor enviroment which is more cut of by functional demands in the house architects work for example."

Yeah, thats probably true.
When somebody wants some house work done I just do as I'm told. Really no design freedom at all. With landscape I think people dont have any real up front ideas so you are more free.

Hey Tzan i always had this little regret that i didn't study something a bit more established like architecture. I did a degree in Digital 3D Design and when i tell people that they usually ask wtf that even is >_<

I think if you have say architecture on your CV it does carry some weight. For instance if you look at guerrilla games site they prefer artists with a architectural background.

Guerrilla is on an epic quest for a Concept Artist with an architectural or industrial design background. Like a modern-day Daedalus, you will design complex environments to contain the monsters and ensnare the heroes of our flagship titles.

Personally i don't think they would mind either way if you really kicked ass thats what really matters but they do mention it, so yeah.....

It seems to me at least really tough though to go through a degree like that, the whole time wanting to passionately design giant walking tanks and nuclear wastelands.

From my own unfounded (major pinch of salt required here) perspective Landscape architecture seems more like Architecture-light, maybe a bit of a subset? Im sure the foundation they teach you in architecture applies just as well to a landscape. But the other way around?For instance i wouldn't let a landscape architect design my home but i would let a normal architect design my garden.

One thing i will say though is that stuff looks better (to some, to others not at all) on a CV but studying say a games course that gives you more freedom keeps you focused and on point on what you actually want, it keeps your dream alive and around like minded people. And that counts for a lot imo. The trade off for all that fun stuff is a career change is tougher if things don't go to plan_________________www.tenglandsketchbook.blogspot.comwww.thomasengland.co.uk

I wouldn't call it Architecure light. But I understand what you mean. Architects have to deal with function more, like a big puzzle. Landscape architecture is more artisticly free. And also not to forget if you want you could work more on the bigger picture like cityplanning etc.That's not the allure with it for me now but anyway.

I dont have any plans to become a concept artist. A fine artist or an illustrator would be more my thing. I haven't really gotten into painting to test the interest for real.

What's sad is that there is no good education to become a fine artist or illustrator in sweden. We have something called Atelier stockholm and it's a very classicly based education (to classical if u ask me)where you draw casts the first year until you even start painting.
There is no "normal" fine art education where you get to paint directly, with the goal to become a better realistic painter. (without the casts)

And in the big art schools they just throw shit at the canvas and exhibit fire extinguishers all day long.
That shouldn't hold back wannabe painters/illustrators but it's not ideal.

Hi, Yeah i agree with you actually really not the best way to describe it at all i kinda realised that, I think I put it that way as the course I studied (Digital 3d design) kinda suffered from being narrow, and not really taking into account enough foundation. At the time i thought yeah, games! do digital course. In hindsight i would have done Industrial Design. That said the critical thinking side or what ever its called, history of design, psychology, film etc was universal across the design school. I think art/design degrees tend to be quite good with that kind of thing.

I really hear you with regard to the ultra-conservative Ateliers and the fire extinguisher fine art courses. Its pretty similar here tbh. Maybe they need to be contemporary to get accreditation, I heard someone mention that once. I think the art world is just like that these days I guess that's fine, I'm glad we have abstract painting and installation but the Art courses do lean so far on the abstract side way too far in my opinion, the Ateliers though i feel quite split about those too. I was looking at the Atelier Sweeden gallery, the before and afters are impressive. But man Its like they picked a point in time 300 years ago, covered their ears and started going laa la la la la la la cant hear you.

I really like paintings with a mix of abstract and reality, images that encompass everything. I dont know any formal place that thinks like that. Its either one or the other, some righteous opinion either way. The way I'm trying to solve that is by going to places where the teachers don't really have much of an agenda or "beliefs" they must uphold. Community college They give you a life model, you draw. Or life painting with a limited colour range or a class in just learning to use watercolour. Whatever you want really they tend to be much cheaper as well. In Germany, they call them volksschule not sure what the Swedish equivalent is called. I would never suggest you do that instead of a degree though, i dont know what the situation with university fees is over there but if its affordable totally go for it._________________www.tenglandsketchbook.blogspot.comwww.thomasengland.co.uk

Community College I took a small nightcourse last year actually. It was ok. I guess you have to look up the good teachers beforehand. There are lots of great summer courses that I might join though.
Yes it's called folksskola. The same name.

Yes they go lallalalla, hehe. I don't get that mindset. I'm jealous of some places like LA where theres to many good artists.

And had I been dead set on an illustrator/artist career (which I might be lateron) I would attend the Repin academy in St Petersburg. Check out the realism vs construction thread at conceptart.org/forums/art educations.
It's a huge school with great realist painters. Dedicated students. It's a different tradition in Russia.
Only thing is that they barely speak any english. But the good thing is that it's only 30 miles from Stockholm. (altough the sea is inbetween)

I wouldn't go the industrial design path to become a concept artist. It's all about skills. Portfolio, portfolio, portfolio... The way to go is Repin academy or maybe build your own education in community college and in other places.

And Im surprised at how many people don't get that that you have to paint/draw from life in order to be a great conceptartist. Otherwise you get no art foundation. All the imagination in the world can't help you then.

Haha thats interesting I was looking at the Repin Academy just today, That place seems one very very hardcore school! Like you say the level of dedication required even to get in there is on another level. Often working from morning to midnight, 6 years for the full training. I would find that very tough in London even if i had the money to pay for it, let alone in Russia lol

Even after all that there's no guarantee your going to get a good living from it as opposed to something like medicine or engineering were you walk out and get hired.

There really are so many paths into it I know medical doctors and network engineers that have gone on to become successful concept artists.

I only ever went to community college in Berlin, spoke no German but it didn't matter too much, felt i got a lot out of it. The ones in London where I'm from will start next week so will have to see what its like here.. so yeah life drawing... Actually they asked to see it in an interview i had last month. Lol runs out to attend life classes >_<_________________www.tenglandsketchbook.blogspot.comwww.thomasengland.co.uk

You shold go to the repin academy! 6 years will fly by!
What you get is a very solid foundation after 6 years, hehe.

It's impossible for a medical doctor to be a concept artist. The stetoscope is in the way. But yeah I hear you. It's just that maybe I have to high expectations of concept artists. Ryan Church, Erik Tiemens expectations.
Of course most aren't that good at everything but they can do kickass monsters.

Good luck with the course next week T_England!
I had a period when i did a heck of alot croquis. Short Croquis sharpens your senses but longer poses really make you better I came to realize after a while. Community college is good I think because their's no distractions. And you've payed for it. You better paint.
The interest can be there but it's just damn hard to paint at home when you're new to it. Guess I could schedule some weekly painting to try and make it a habit. What you think England? Create a sketchbook at conceptart.org or any other tips of getting started? Might add that I pretty much have this problem with all new projects, hehe.

Haha cheers, i would love to see a Repin academy trained concept artist lol that would be something. Not working in art at the moment since December, I was at a small place for two years that did concept outsourcing. I can assure you medical doctors can be concept artists because one was my boss lol

Really don't think i'm the one to give advice though as i'm still going through it all tbh. Having a goal and doing anything that gets you working towards it on a consistent basis. A varied mix of art, design and illustration. Set up a blog and post on the speed painting thread >_< says he who barely ever posts! yep!

I know Spooge studied a lot. Two degrees, industrial design and illustration at art centre. Can look at his site and think the man was born awesome but frankly a hell of a lot of work has gone into it. And also the foundation behind it. He did a class and QA on gnomon online a year or so back. He said then he goes life drawing twice a week without fail.

Also, yes i would love to go to art centre but i looked into it and that shit costs something like $250.000 . We have the internet and gnomon DVDs now to get good information.. so yeah times changed, i think the place is riding high off its past achievements and attracting wealthy students this way. If you work hard your not really going to miss out and I'm sure that the university's in Sweden are actually very good. Fees here now cost £9000 a year for home and EU students which is about 900% increase in what I paid and I'm not some old man I'm 26! Is university free in Sweden?

Feng Zhu talks about training quite a bit. He opened a school in Singapore, and posts a lot of the training to youtube for free. He knows its more about the hard work and foundation than any secret information or tricks. Check them out, I think the first training DVD I saw was that dude doing kick ass spaceships with a marker, was one of the first ever gnomon DVDs I really rate that dude! _________________www.tenglandsketchbook.blogspot.comwww.thomasengland.co.uk

Yes the university is free as air. Yep im gonna be a superblogger!
Saw Feng Zhu video. Cool dude very patient and pedagogic and he had a little bit of talent too.

That's quite a switch going from medical doctor to conceptart. But maybe not to far. Plastic surgeons need good hand eye cordination. And they listen to cool music while they operate and drive sportscars in LA. Wait! thats Nip/Tuck!

That sucks the high Fees for Art Center. But I suppose you will miss the likeminded people if you don't go to art school. That keeps you motivated/inspired.
I'm more into life drawing/painting now. So I guess I'll try and do some night courses/workshops. Find some good inspirational teacher.

That high you get when you're in the flow while painting/drawing is enough for me. Creating cool things like spaceships seems to me to be fun for 15 minutes then there's the pain to finish it up. In life drawing I love details to death though.

What would be ideal would to have a nice girlfriend who is also a talented artist. She could teach me lessons in bed AND in front of the easel!

This guy has it all. Sensibility, technique, humour. In my next life I will be Khang Lee. "fingers crossed" His website: http://www.khangle.net/
Hes not a pornstar but a conceptartist. almost forgot to mention that.